Council election 'a waste of money'

A councillor has hit out at plans to hold a by-election for a seat on Oswestry Borough Council, just six months before the authority will be wound up to make way for a unitary council.

Oswestry Borough Councillor Keith Barrow hit out at the move as a ridiculous waste of time and public money.

Mr Barrow, chairman of the North Shropshire Conservatives, said thousands of pounds would be spent holding the election for a councillor.

He added: "They would have to have training and there are not spaces on committees on which they could serve. It is a ridiculous waste of time and of public money."

Now he is calling on the political parties to make a pact not to field candidates for the by-election.

It comes as residents in the Pimhill ward on Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council also prepare to go to the polls next week for a by-election.

In Oswestry one of the two Castle ward seats on the council was made vacant by the serious illness of Councillor Neeta Burman.

Mrs Burman, a recent mayoress, is not well enough to return to the council chamber following a stroke.

Council members recently voted to declare her seat vacant. Veronica Catlin from the borough council said the council had now received the two letters that were needed to call for a by-election.